Chapter 7
This chapter begins with an exhortation to progressive
holiness and a due regard to the ministers of the gospel (v. 1-4). Then the
apostle returns from a long digression to speak further of the affair
concerning the incestuous person, and tells them what comfort he received in
his distress about that matter, upon his meeting with Titus (v. 5-7), and how
re rejoiced in their repentance, with the evidences thereof (v. 8–11). And, lastly,
he concludes with endeavouring to comfort the Corinthians, upon whom his
admonitions had had so good an effect (v. 12–16).
Verses 1-4
These verses contain a double exhortation:—
I. To make a progress in holiness, or to perfect holiness
in the fear of God, v. 1. This exhortation is given with most tender
affection to those who were dearly beloved, and enforced by strong arguments,
even the consideration of those exceedingly great and precious promises which
were mentioned in the former chapter, and which the Corinthians had an interest
in and a title to. The promises of God are strong inducements to
sanctification, in both the branches thereof; namely, 1. The dying unto sin, or
mortifying our lusts and corruptions: we must cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of flesh and spirit. Sin is filthiness, and there are
defilements of body and mind. There are sins of the flesh, that are committed
with the body, and sins of the spirit, spiritual wickednesses; and we must
cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of both, for God is to be glorified both
with body and soul. 2. The living unto righteousness and holiness. If we hope
God is our Father, we must endeavour to be partakers of his holiness, to
be holy as he is holy, and perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. We must
be still perfecting holiness, and not be contented with sincerity (which is our
gospel perfection), without aiming at sinless perfection, though we shall
always come short of it while we are in this world; and this we must do in the fear
of God, which is the root and principle of all religion, and there is no
holiness without it. Note, Faith and hope in the promises of God must not
destroy our fear of God, who taketh pleasure in those that fear him and hope
in his mercy.
II. To show a due regard to the ministers of the gospel: Receive
us, v. 2. Those who labour in the word and doctrine should be had in
reputation, and be highly esteemed for their work’s sake: and this
would be a help to making progress in holiness. If the ministers of the gospel
are thought contemptible because of their office, there is danger lest the
gospel itself be contemned also. The apostle did not think it any disparagement
to court the favour of the Corinthians; and, though we must flatter none, yet
we must be gentle towards all. He tells them, 1. He had done nothing to forfeit
their esteem and good-will, but was cautious not to do any thing to deserve
their ill-will (v. 2): "We have wronged no man: we have done you no
harm, but always designed your good.’’ I have coveted no man’s silver, nor
gold, nor apparel, said he to the elders of Ephesus, Acts 20:33. "We
have corrupted no man, by false doctrines or flattering speeches. We
have defrauded no man; we have not sought ourselves, nor to promote our own
secular interests by crafty and greedy measures, to the damage of any
persons.’’ This is an appeal like that of Samuel, 1 Sa. 12. Note, Then may
ministers the more confidently expect esteem and favour from the people when
they can safely appeal to them that they are guilty of nothing that deserves
disesteem or displeasure. 2. He did not herein reflect upon them for want of
affection to him, v. 3, 4. So tenderly and cautiously did the apostle deal with
the Corinthians, among whom there were some who would be glad of any occasion to
reproach him, and prejudice the minds of others against him. To prevent any
insinuations against him on account of what he had said, as if he intended to
charge them with wronging him, or unjust accusations of him for having wronged
them, he assures them again of his great affection to them, insomuch that he
could spend his last breath at Corinth, and live and die with them, if
his business with other churches, and his work as an apostle (which was not to
be confined to one place only), would permit him to do so. An he adds it was
his great affection to them that made him use such boldness or freedom
of speech towards them, and caused him to glory, or make his
boast of them, in all places, and upon all occasions, being filled with
comfort, and exceedingly joyful in all their tribulations.
Verses 5-11
There seems to be a connection between ch. 2:13 (where the
apostle said he had no rest in his spirit when he found not Titus at Troas) and
the fifth verse of this chapter: and so great was his affection to the Corinthians,
and his concern about their behaviour in relation to the incestuous person,
that, in his further travels, he still had no rest till he heard from them. And
now he tells them,
I. How he was distressed, v. 5. He was troubled when he did
not meet with Titus at Troas, and afterwards when for some time he did not meet
with him in Macedonia: this was a grief to him, because he could not hear what
reception he met with at Corinth, nor how their affairs went forward. And,
besides this, they met with other troubles, with incessant storms of
persecutions; there were fightings without, or continual contentions
with, and opposition from, Jews and Gentiles; and there were fears within,
and great concern for such as had embraced the Christian faith, lest they
should be corrupted or seduced, and give scandal to others, or be scandalized.
II. How he was comforted, v. 6, 7. Here observe, 1. The very
coming of Titus was some comfort to him. It was matter of joy to see him, whom
he long desired and expected to meet with. The very coming of Titus and his
company, who was dear to him as his own son in the common faith (Tit.
1:4), was a great comfort to the apostle in his travels and troubles. But, 2.
The good news which Titus brought concerning the Corinthians was matter of
greater consolation. He found Titus to be comforted in them; and this filled
the apostle with comfort, especially when he acquainted him with their earnest
desire to give good satisfaction in the things about which the apostle had
written to them; and of their mourning for the scandal that was found among
them and the great grief they had caused to others, and their fervent mind or
great affection towards the apostle, who had dealt so faithfully with them in
reproving their faults: so true is the observation of Solomon (Prov. 28:23), He
that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth
with his tongue. 3. He ascribes all his comfort to God as the author. It
was God who comforted him by the coming of Titus, even the God of all comfort: God,
who comforteth those that are cast down, v. 6. Note, We should look above
and beyond all means and instruments, unto God, as the author of all the
consolation and the good that we enjoy.
III. How greatly he rejoiced at their repentance, and the
evidences thereof. The apostle was sorry that he had grieved them, that some
pious persons among them laid to heart very greatly what he said in his former
epistle, or that it was needful he should make those sorry whom he would rather
have made glad, v. 8. But now he rejoiced, when he found they had sorrowed
to repentance, v. 9. Their sorrow in itself was not the cause of his
rejoicing; but the nature of it, and the effect of it (repentance unto
salvation, v. 10), made him rejoice; for now it appeared that they had
received damage by him in nothing. Their sorrow was but for a season; it
was turned into joy, and that joy was durable. Observe here,
1. The antecedent of true repentance is godly sorrow; this
worketh repentance. It is not repentance itself, but it is a good preparative
to repentance, and in some sense the cause that produces repentance. The
offender had great sorrow, he was in danger of being swallowed up with
overmuch sorrow; and the society was greatly sorrowful which before was
puffed up: and this sorrow of theirs was after a godly manner, or according to
God (as it is in the original), that is, it was according to the will of God,
tended to the glory of God, and was wrought by the Spirit of God. It was a
godly sorrow, because a sorrow for sin, as an offence against God, an instance
of ingratitude, and a forfeiture of God’s favour. There is a great difference
between this sorrow of a godly sort and the sorrow of this world. Godly sorrow
produces repentance and reformation, and will end in salvation; but worldly
sorrow worketh death. The sorrows of worldly men for worldly things will bring
down gray hairs the sooner to the grave, and such a sorrow even for sin as
Judas had will have fatal consequences, as his had, which wrought death. Note, (1.)
Repentance will be attended with salvation. Therefore, (2.) True penitents will
never repent that they have repented, nor of any thing that was conducive
thereto. (3.) Humiliation and godly sorrow are previously necessary in order to
repentance, and both of them are from God, the giver of all grace.
2. The happy fruits and consequences of true repentance are
mentioned (v. 11); and those fruits that are meet for repentance are the
best evidences of it. Where the heart is changed, the life and actions will be
changed too. The Corinthians made it evident that their sorrow was a godly
sorrow, and such as wrought repentance, because it wrought in them great
carefulness about their souls, and to avoid sin, and please God; it wrought
also a clearing of themselves, not by insisting upon their own justification
before God, especially while they persisted in their sin, but by endeavours to
put away the accursed thing, and so free themselves from the just imputation of
approving the evil that had been done. It wrought indignation at sin, at
themselves, at the tempter and his instruments; it wrought fear, a fear of
reverence, a fear of watchfulness, and a fear of distrust, not a distrust of
God, but of themselves; an awful fear of God, a cautious fear of sin, and a jealous
fear of themselves. It wrought vehement desires after a thorough reformation of
what had been amiss, and of reconciliation with God whom they had offended. It
wrought zeal, a mixture of love and anger, a zeal for duty, and against sin. It
wrought, lastly, revenge against sin and their own folly, by endeavours to make
all due satisfaction for injuries that might be done thereby. And thus in
all things had they approved themselves to be clear in that matter. Not
that they were innocent, but that they were penitent, and therefore clear of
guilt before God, who would pardon and not punish them; and they ought no
longer to be reproved, much less to be reproached, by men, for what they had
truly repented of.
Verses 12-16
In these verses the apostle endeavours to comfort the
Corinthians, upon whom his admonitions had had such good effect. And in order
thereto, 1. He tells them he had a good design in his former epistle, which
might be thought severe, v. 12. It was not chiefly for his cause that did
the wrong, not only for his benefit, much less merely that he should be
punished; nor was it merely for his cause that suffered wrong, namely,
the injured father, and that he might have what satisfaction could be given him;
but it was also to manifest his great and sincere concern and care for them,
for the whole church, lest that should suffer by letting such a crime, and the
scandal thereof, remain among them without due remark and resentment. 2. He
acquaints them with the joy of Titus as well as of himself upon the account of
their repentance and good behaviour. Titus was rejoiced, and his spirit
refreshed, with their comfort, and this comforted and rejoiced the apostle also
(v. 13); and, as Titus was comforted while he was with them, so when he
remembered his reception among them, expressing their obedience to the
apostolical directions, and their fear and trembling at the reproofs that were
given them, the thoughts of these things inflamed and increased his affections
to them, v. 15. Note, Great comfort and joy follow upon godly sorrow. As sin
occasions general grief, so repentance and reformation occasion general joy.
Paul was glad, and Titus was glad, and the Corinthians were comforted, and the
penitent ought to be comforted; and well may all this joy be on earth, when
there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. 3. He concludes this
whole matter with expressing the entire confidence he had in them: He was not
ashamed of his boasting concerning them to Titus (v. 14); for he was not
disappointed in his expectation concerning them, which he signified to Titus,
and he could now with great joy declare what confidence he still had in them as
to all things, that he did not doubt of their good behaviour for the time to
come. Note, It is a great comfort and joy to a faithful minister to have to do
with a people whom he can confide in, and who he has reason to hope will comply
with every thing he proposes to them that is for the glory of God, the credit
of the gospel, and their advantage.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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